THE HUSTLER

He roughly pushes through the populous kikubo lane.

The titanic load on the head sinking his neck into his torso forcing his body to dwarf.

“Fasi..Fasi…”his mouth cries hoarsely, his tougue licking riverets of sweat off his hard

Muscled face. His rapid pace slows, at the bounds of the thick crowd, his eyes blindly staring at the shoes of those in front of him, waiting hopefully for them to give space.

A sharp pain cut into his left ear like water puffed through the nose

The rhythmical throbbing of his heart climbing to the head                                                                                         he felt hot. So hot that it hurt….

His blood boiling at an increased degree.

His head pounding hard as it swayed upfront and back.

“A voice was calling….”

His hands weakened letting loose of the load, suddenly his head felt heavy as his whole body slipped away from his will to reach his destination,

“Aim not going to be paid…..”His mind concluded.

He felt his head thinning, separating from the load at the jet of his breath as he fell on top of his face.

Nakisanze Segawa, 3^rd winner BNPA 2010, under the theme Money and Culture. She won 100 USD and autographed copies of poetry by prolific poets including  Unjumping by Nambozo Nsengiyunva

FRAGRANCE

It’s the fragrance, mother;

the intoxicating crispy fragrance

of colored newly mint coinage.

Sometimes the shimmering glitter

of gold or silver.

It matters not mother

what figures are imprinted on,

just the fragrance!

The fragrance that drives me

to plunder my core,

to pillage my country to nothing,

squandering it to desolation.

The fragrance that possesses me

to bare my nakedness to them,

to vend my soul’s worth,

to trade my country’s worth!

The fragrance that devours me

and sparks hunger pangs,

coercing me to crave and covet theirs

staining my hands with blood !

It’s the fragrance mother;

the musky musty odor

of old and used notes,

sometimes the dull hue of coinage

that quenches my thirst and ardor!

It matters not mother

what figures are imprinted on

Just the fragrance mother!

Just the fragrance.

Regina Asinde, 2^nd winner BNPA 2010 under the theme Money and Culture. She won 150 USD and autographed copies of poetry by prolific poets including Unjumping by Beverley Nambozo Nsengiyunva